The Woman in White - 72
Approaching Notre Dame by the river-side, I passed on my way the terrible dead-house of Paris—the Morgue. A great crowd clamoured and heaved round the door. There was evidently something inside which excited the popular curiosity, and fed the popular appetite for horror.
I should have walked on to the church if the conversation of two men and a woman on the outskirts of the crowd had not caught my ear. They had just come out from seeing the sight in the Morgue, and the account they were giving of the dead body to their neighbours described it as the corpse of a man—a man of immense size, with a strange mark on his left arm.
The moment those words reached me I stopped and took my place with the crowd going in. Some dim foreshadowing of the truth had crossed my mind when I heard Pesca's voice through the open door, and when I saw the stranger's face as he passed me on the stairs of the hotel. Now the truth itself was revealed to me—revealed in the chance words that had just reached my ears. Other vengeance than mine had followed that fated man from the theatre to his own door—from his own door to his refuge in Paris. Other vengeance than mine had called him to the day of reckoning, and had exacted from him the penalty of his life. The moment when I had pointed him out to Pesca at the theatre in the hearing of that stranger by our side, who was looking for him too—was the moment that sealed his doom. I remembered the struggle in my own heart, when he and I stood face to face—the struggle before I could let him escape me—and shuddered as I recalled it.
Slowly, inch by inch, I pressed in with the crowd, moving nearer and nearer to the great glass screen that parts the dead from the living at the Morgue—nearer and nearer, till I was close behind the front row of spectators, and could look in.
There he lay, unowned, unknown, exposed to the flippant curiosity of a French mob! There was the dreadful end of that long life of degraded ability and heartless crime! Hushed in the sublime repose of death, the broad, firm, massive face and head fronted us so grandly that the chattering Frenchwomen about me lifted their hands in admiration, and cried in shrill chorus, "Ah, what a handsome man!" The wound that had killed him had been struck with a knife or dagger exactly over his heart. No other traces of violence appeared about the body except on the left arm, and there, exactly in the place where I had seen the brand on Pesca's arm, were two deep cuts in the shape of the letter T, which entirely obliterated the mark of the Brotherhood. His clothes, hung above him, showed that he had been himself conscious of his danger—they were clothes that had disguised him as a French artisan. For a few moments, but not for longer, I forced myself to see these things through the glass screen. I can write of them at no greater length, for I saw no more.
The few facts in connection with his death which I subsequently ascertained (partly from Pesca and partly from other sources), may be stated here before the subject is dismissed from these pages.
His body was taken out of the Seine in the disguise which I have described, nothing being found on him which revealed his name, his rank, or his place of abode. The hand that struck him was never traced, and the circumstances under which he was killed were never discovered. I leave others to draw their own conclusions in reference to the secret of the assassination as I have drawn mine. When I have intimated that the foreigner with the scar was a member of the Brotherhood (admitted in Italy after Pesca's departure from his native country), and when I have further added that the two cuts, in the form of a T, on the left arm of the dead man, signified the Italian word "Traditore," and showed that justice had been done by the Brotherhood on a traitor, I have contributed all that I know towards elucidating the mystery of Count Fosco's death.
The body was identified the day after I had seen it by means of an anonymous letter addressed to his wife. He was buried by Madame Fosco in the cemetery of Pere la Chaise. Fresh funeral wreaths continue to this day to be hung on the ornamental bronze railings round the tomb by the Countess's own hand. She lives in the strictest retirement at Versailles. Not long since she published a biography of her deceased husband. The work throws no light whatever on the name that was really his own or on the secret history of his life—it is almost entirely devoted to the praise of his domestic virtues, the assertion of his rare abilities, and the enumeration of the honours conferred on him. The circumstances attending his death are very briefly noticed, and are summed up on the last page in this sentence—"His life was one long assertion of the rights of the aristocracy and the sacred principles of Order, and he died a martyr to his cause."
III
The summer and autumn passed after my return from Paris, and brought no changes with them which need be noticed here. We lived so simply and quietly that the income which I was now steadily earning sufficed for all our wants.
In the February of the new year our first child was born—a son. My mother and sister and Mrs. Vesey were our guests at the little christening party, and Mrs. Clements was present to assist my wife on the same occasion. Marian was our boy's godmother, and Pesca and Mr. Gilmore (the latter acting by proxy) were his godfathers. I may add here that when Mr. Gilmore returned to us a year later he assisted the design of these pages, at my request, by writing the Narrative which appears early in the story under his name, and which, though first in order of precedence, was thus, in order of time, the last that I received.
The only event in our lives which now remains to be recorded, occurred when our little Walter was six months old.
At that time I was sent to Ireland to make sketches for certain forthcoming illustrations in the newspaper to which I was attached. I was away for nearly a fortnight, corresponding regularly with my wife and Marian, except during the last three days of my absence, when my movements were too uncertain to enable me to receive letters. I performed the latter part of my journey back at night, and when I reached home in the morning, to my utter astonishment there was no one to receive me. Laura and Marian and the child had left the house on the day before my return.
A note from my wife, which was given to me by the servant, only increased my surprise, by informing me that they had gone to Limmeridge House. Marian had prohibited any attempt at written explanations—I was entreated to follow them the moment I came back—complete enlightenment awaited me on my arrival in Cumberland—and I was forbidden to feel the slightest anxiety in the meantime. There the note ended. It was still early enough to catch the morning train. I reached Limmeridge House the same afternoon.
My wife and Marian were both upstairs. They had established themselves (by way of completing my amazement) in the little room which had been once assigned to me for a studio, when I was employed on Mr. Fairlie's drawings. On the very chair which I used to occupy when I was at work Marian was sitting now, with the child industriously sucking his coral upon her lap—while Laura was standing by the well-remembered drawing-table which I had so often used, with the little album that I had filled for her in past times open under her hand.
"What in the name of heaven has brought you here?" I asked. "Does Mr. Fairlie know——?"
Marian suspended the question on my lips by telling me that Mr. Fairlie was dead. He had been struck by paralysis, and had never rallied after the shock. Mr. Kyrle had informed them of his death, and had advised them to proceed immediately to Limmeridge House.
Some dim perception of a great change dawned on my mind. Laura spoke before I had quite realised it. She stole close to me to enjoy the surprise which was still expressed in my face.
"My darling Walter," she said, "must we really account for our boldness in coming here? I am afraid, love, I can only explain it by breaking through our rule, and referring to the past."
"There is not the least necessity for doing anything of the kind," said Marian. "We can be just as explicit, and much more interesting, by referring to the future." She rose and held up the child kicking and crowing in her arms. "Do you know who this is, Walter?" she asked, with bright tears of happiness gathering in her eyes.
"Even my bewilderment has its limits," I replied. "I think I can still answer for knowing my own child."
"Child!" she exclaimed, with all her easy gaiety of old times. "Do you talk in that familiar manner of one of the landed gentry of England? Are you aware, when I present this illustrious baby to your notice, in whose presence you stand? Evidently not! Let me make two eminent personages known to one another: Mr. Walter Hartright—the Heir of Limmeridge."
So she spoke. In writing those last words, I have written all. The pen falters in my hand. The long, happy labour of many months is over. Marian was the good angel of our lives—let Marian end our Story.
- Parts
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- The Woman in White - 02Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3467Total number of unique words is 105259.1 of words are in the 2000 most common words76.0 of words are in the 5000 most common words82.8 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 03Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3487Total number of unique words is 98065.4 of words are in the 2000 most common words82.9 of words are in the 5000 most common words89.1 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 04Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3496Total number of unique words is 110358.8 of words are in the 2000 most common words76.3 of words are in the 5000 most common words83.6 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 05Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3252Total number of unique words is 100058.8 of words are in the 2000 most common words76.0 of words are in the 5000 most common words84.7 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 06Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3498Total number of unique words is 107657.8 of words are in the 2000 most common words76.8 of words are in the 5000 most common words85.2 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 07Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3464Total number of unique words is 103059.7 of words are in the 2000 most common words76.6 of words are in the 5000 most common words84.2 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 08Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3500Total number of unique words is 93166.1 of words are in the 2000 most common words81.2 of words are in the 5000 most common words87.7 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 09Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3437Total number of unique words is 101761.0 of words are in the 2000 most common words78.8 of words are in the 5000 most common words85.3 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 10Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3490Total number of unique words is 97964.4 of words are in the 2000 most common words80.9 of words are in the 5000 most common words87.5 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 11Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3566Total number of unique words is 88467.1 of words are in the 2000 most common words83.6 of words are in the 5000 most common words90.1 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 12Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3453Total number of unique words is 96764.7 of words are in the 2000 most common words82.6 of words are in the 5000 most common words89.2 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 13Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3454Total number of unique words is 100464.2 of words are in the 2000 most common words82.7 of words are in the 5000 most common words87.3 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 14Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3452Total number of unique words is 96064.8 of words are in the 2000 most common words82.5 of words are in the 5000 most common words89.1 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 15Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3381Total number of unique words is 95364.0 of words are in the 2000 most common words81.3 of words are in the 5000 most common words88.2 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 16Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3498Total number of unique words is 92964.7 of words are in the 2000 most common words84.1 of words are in the 5000 most common words89.8 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 17Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3460Total number of unique words is 94060.6 of words are in the 2000 most common words79.2 of words are in the 5000 most common words85.9 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 18Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3472Total number of unique words is 98264.8 of words are in the 2000 most common words82.6 of words are in the 5000 most common words87.9 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 19Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3564Total number of unique words is 91968.6 of words are in the 2000 most common words85.5 of words are in the 5000 most common words91.5 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 20Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3421Total number of unique words is 95862.3 of words are in the 2000 most common words80.8 of words are in the 5000 most common words88.3 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 21Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3490Total number of unique words is 104563.3 of words are in the 2000 most common words81.9 of words are in the 5000 most common words88.8 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 22Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3259Total number of unique words is 107158.5 of words are in the 2000 most common words77.5 of words are in the 5000 most common words85.2 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 23Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3435Total number of unique words is 116555.4 of words are in the 2000 most common words73.2 of words are in the 5000 most common words81.5 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 24Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3309Total number of unique words is 94166.8 of words are in the 2000 most common words82.5 of words are in the 5000 most common words88.3 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 25Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3492Total number of unique words is 112354.0 of words are in the 2000 most common words71.4 of words are in the 5000 most common words78.4 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 26Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3477Total number of unique words is 103860.5 of words are in the 2000 most common words76.8 of words are in the 5000 most common words84.4 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 27Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3455Total number of unique words is 101060.7 of words are in the 2000 most common words77.8 of words are in the 5000 most common words84.7 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 28Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3354Total number of unique words is 86867.3 of words are in the 2000 most common words83.6 of words are in the 5000 most common words90.5 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 29Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3192Total number of unique words is 99864.3 of words are in the 2000 most common words81.0 of words are in the 5000 most common words88.1 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 30Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3567Total number of unique words is 95467.2 of words are in the 2000 most common words85.6 of words are in the 5000 most common words90.8 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 31Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3542Total number of unique words is 102764.8 of words are in the 2000 most common words80.7 of words are in the 5000 most common words86.9 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 32Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3637Total number of unique words is 85671.0 of words are in the 2000 most common words85.5 of words are in the 5000 most common words89.8 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 33Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3529Total number of unique words is 104763.1 of words are in the 2000 most common words80.7 of words are in the 5000 most common words87.4 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 34Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3543Total number of unique words is 87867.7 of words are in the 2000 most common words85.0 of words are in the 5000 most common words90.8 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 35Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3557Total number of unique words is 98165.1 of words are in the 2000 most common words81.5 of words are in the 5000 most common words89.4 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 36Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3500Total number of unique words is 98661.2 of words are in the 2000 most common words77.7 of words are in the 5000 most common words86.2 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 37Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3497Total number of unique words is 90168.4 of words are in the 2000 most common words81.9 of words are in the 5000 most common words89.2 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 38Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3417Total number of unique words is 97462.1 of words are in the 2000 most common words80.7 of words are in the 5000 most common words88.1 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 39Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3271Total number of unique words is 92760.3 of words are in the 2000 most common words78.6 of words are in the 5000 most common words86.6 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 40Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3421Total number of unique words is 99261.4 of words are in the 2000 most common words79.9 of words are in the 5000 most common words88.4 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 41Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3415Total number of unique words is 103158.7 of words are in the 2000 most common words78.5 of words are in the 5000 most common words86.4 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 42Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3408Total number of unique words is 89066.3 of words are in the 2000 most common words85.5 of words are in the 5000 most common words91.5 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 43Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3436Total number of unique words is 91761.1 of words are in the 2000 most common words81.6 of words are in the 5000 most common words88.2 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 44Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3532Total number of unique words is 88769.0 of words are in the 2000 most common words85.2 of words are in the 5000 most common words91.2 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 45Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3582Total number of unique words is 95162.8 of words are in the 2000 most common words81.1 of words are in the 5000 most common words88.2 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 46Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3612Total number of unique words is 92668.2 of words are in the 2000 most common words84.4 of words are in the 5000 most common words88.7 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 47Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3410Total number of unique words is 102460.0 of words are in the 2000 most common words78.4 of words are in the 5000 most common words85.5 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 48Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3365Total number of unique words is 96261.0 of words are in the 2000 most common words79.6 of words are in the 5000 most common words87.6 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 49Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3404Total number of unique words is 99960.5 of words are in the 2000 most common words79.6 of words are in the 5000 most common words87.0 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 50Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3494Total number of unique words is 97860.7 of words are in the 2000 most common words81.6 of words are in the 5000 most common words88.7 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 51Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3477Total number of unique words is 94264.2 of words are in the 2000 most common words81.5 of words are in the 5000 most common words89.4 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 52Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3477Total number of unique words is 96761.5 of words are in the 2000 most common words80.9 of words are in the 5000 most common words86.9 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 53Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3639Total number of unique words is 89070.7 of words are in the 2000 most common words86.3 of words are in the 5000 most common words91.1 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 54Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3501Total number of unique words is 87167.6 of words are in the 2000 most common words84.9 of words are in the 5000 most common words90.1 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 55Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3370Total number of unique words is 98461.3 of words are in the 2000 most common words79.3 of words are in the 5000 most common words85.8 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 56Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3510Total number of unique words is 98563.2 of words are in the 2000 most common words81.1 of words are in the 5000 most common words87.6 of words are in the 8000 most common words
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- The Woman in White - 63Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3594Total number of unique words is 101861.3 of words are in the 2000 most common words80.6 of words are in the 5000 most common words87.3 of words are in the 8000 most common words
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- The Woman in White - 65Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3497Total number of unique words is 107456.4 of words are in the 2000 most common words74.0 of words are in the 5000 most common words83.6 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 66Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3548Total number of unique words is 92566.3 of words are in the 2000 most common words83.0 of words are in the 5000 most common words88.9 of words are in the 8000 most common words
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- The Woman in White - 68Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3398Total number of unique words is 102857.6 of words are in the 2000 most common words76.6 of words are in the 5000 most common words84.1 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 69Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3247Total number of unique words is 108753.2 of words are in the 2000 most common words72.3 of words are in the 5000 most common words80.8 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 70Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3422Total number of unique words is 107755.1 of words are in the 2000 most common words75.5 of words are in the 5000 most common words83.7 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 71Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 3518Total number of unique words is 104860.5 of words are in the 2000 most common words78.8 of words are in the 5000 most common words86.1 of words are in the 8000 most common words
- The Woman in White - 72Each bar represents the percentage of words per 1000 most common words.Total number of words is 1680Total number of unique words is 65365.4 of words are in the 2000 most common words79.3 of words are in the 5000 most common words86.5 of words are in the 8000 most common words